The delphi list: A criteria list for quality assessment of randomized clinical trials for conducting systematic reviews developed by Delphi consensus

Most systematic reviews rely substantially on the assessment of the methodo logical quality of the individual trials. The aim of this study was to obta in consensus among experts about a set of generic core items for quality as sessment of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The invited participants wer e experts in the field of quality assessment of RCTs. The initial item pool contained all items from existing criteria lists. Subsequently, we reduced the number of items by using the Delphi consensus technique. Each Delphi r ound comprised a questionnaire, an analysis, and a feedback report. The fee dback report included staff team decisions made on the basis of the analysi s and their justification. A total of 33 international experts agreed to pa rticipate, of whom 21 completed all questionnaires. The initial item pool o f 206 items was reduced to 9 items in three Delphi rounds. The final criter ia list (the Delphi list) was satisfactory to all participants. It is a sta rting point on the way to a minimum reference standard for RCTs on many dif ferent research topics. This list is not intended to replace, but rather to be used alongside, existing criteria lists. J CLIN EPIDEMIOL 51;12:1235-12 41, 1998. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.